The UK Releases New Guidelines To Prevent Misleading Cosmetics Ads

It’s become the norm rather than the exception that models in makeup and skincare ads are retouched to death. The fact that the recent “unretouched” Makeup Forever ad made such news is a testament to this fact of life in the beauty industry.
But cosmetics companies have been getting in trouble for this, particularly in the UK. Over the years, there have been a lot of complaints, especially about mascara ads which depict models in fake eyelashes. L’Oreal Paris was targeted in 2007 because Penelope Cruz was wearing fakes in a Telescopic Mascara commercial. Rimmel is a repeat offender, giving Kate Moss digitally enhanced lashes in 2007 and Georgia May Jagger fake lashes last year, both in mascara ads.
Two UK organizations, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) just released new advertising guidelines for cosmetics advertising.
The guidelines address pre-production (styling and makeup) and post-production (re-touching). Some of the guidelines include:

It’s become the norm rather than the exception that models in makeup and skincare ads are retouched to death. The fact that the recent “unretouched” Makeup Forever ad made such news is a testament to this fact of life in the beauty industry.

But cosmetics companies have been getting in trouble for this, particularly in the UK. Over the years, there have been a lot of complaints, especially about mascara ads which depict models in fake eyelashes. L’Oreal Paris was targeted in 2007 because Penelope Cruz was wearing fakes in a Telescopic Mascara commercial. Rimmel is a repeat offender, giving Kate Moss digitally enhanced lashes in 2007 and Georgia May Jagger fake lashes last year, both in mascara ads.

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Two UK organizations, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) just released new advertising guidelines for cosmetics advertising.

The guidelines address pre-production (styling and makeup) and post-production (re-touching). Some of the guidelines include:

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-The use of misleading lash inserts
-The excessive use of hair extensions in hair care ads
-The use of fake nails in nail care ads
-Re-touching pictures to remove fine lines and wrinkle, hair fly-aways, and skin blemishes (for example) if the products are claiming to help those issues.

It’s okay to use the above if that area is not the subject of the particular product; for example, it’s okay to use fake eyelashes to make a model look better if you’re advertising nail polish, as long as you don’t do anything to the nails.

It will be interesting to see how strictly this is policed. If questioned, companies will have to prove that their ads are not misleading.

It's not exactly a secret that cosmetic companies use photoshop to produce ads which show their product performing feats of transformation far glossier, prettier--and unattainable--than they would be able to achieve in real life. However while the practice is widespread, it turns out that it's also sort of misleading to customers. We know: Shocker, right?
Thankfully, the U.S. is finally taking steps to tackle the problem, reports Business Insider. In a landmark ruling by the National Advertising Division, the U.S. industry watchdog decided to ban an ad by Covergirl for their NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara. The ad in question promised the mascara could deliver “2X more volume” on women's lashes, but in the fine print disclosed that the models lashes had been enhanced post-production. The ruling said, "NAD was particularly troubled by the photograph of the model – which serves clearly to demonstrate (i.e., let consumers see for themselves) the length and volume they can achieve when they apply the advertised mascara to their eyelashes." Except, of course, that they can't. At least not without the help of photoshop anyway.

Mascara is the cell phone of the makeup industry. There is constant innovation, one-upmanship, and frequent turnover of product. In fact, by the time you read this review, there will probably be ten new kinds on the market.
Not that I’m a complaining. Mascara is my desert island item. It’s the one thing that is always on my face, even at the gym. My eye lashes are long, but really light, so I look dead without it. Not everyone feels this way. Lauren hardly ever wears it (!!).
Every mascara has a vision, which it tries to achieve through the brush, the formula, or both. Some are even getting specialized--bottom lashes only.
Click through for a review of five of the newer mascaras out there.

With governments getting involved in the sometimes misleading world of beauty advertising, cosmetics companies are going to have to ease up on the airbrushing, as L’Oréal just learned the hard way. The UK government recently released guidelines limiting the use of misleading ad alterations, and the American Medical Association recommended similar measures here in the US. The UK is definitely putting its money where its mouth is, and just banned a series of ads featuring Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington.